In his "I Have a Dream" speech, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. used emotional appeal to inspire his audience toward greater inclusiveness and a better humanity. Prior to, and during, World War II, Adolph Hitler used emotional appeal to inspire his audiences toward hatred and world domination. Whether used to build up or to tear down, it is clear that emotional appeal in public speaking is a power that can not be ignored.
Describe:
- the ethical issues involved in using emotional appeal;
- when emotional appeal is appropriate and when it is not;
- examples of ethical/unethical uses of emotional appeal you may have experienced;
- the power of emotional appeal, right or wrong, to sway an audience.